Planning Specialist

Job Description:

We're looking for a highly motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented Planning Manager to join our Supply Chain Operations team. This is a key role for someone excited to take full ownership of planning activities as we shift from R&D to full-scale manufacturing. You'll lead the development of planning infrastructure, define core planning processes, and turn cross-functional product and commercial requirements into clear, actionable supply and production strategies. From the ground up, you'll shape how planning functions across the organization.

In this role, you'll collaborate closely with teams across R&D, Product, Procurement, Logistics, and Quality to ensure tight alignment between demand and supply. Your work will be instrumental in supporting a successful product ramp-up and setting the foundation for operational scale.

*This role is fully onsite*

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement end-to-end planning processes, tools, and KPIs to support NPIs and production scale-up
• Develop and maintain short- and long-term demand forecasts in collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders
• Translate forecasts and business requirements into actionable production and procurement plans
• Create and manage the Master Production Schedule (MPS) and Materials Requirements Planning (MRP)
• Partner with R&D, Product, Operations, Procurement, and Quality to ensure product readiness and operational alignment
• Coordinate with contract manufacturers and suppliers to align supply chain activities with Q.ai's product milestones
• Support scenario planning and proactively identify risks and mitigation strategies for supply chain disruptions
• Monitor inventory levels, lead times, and constraints to prevent shortages and minimize excess
• Align supplier planning and delivery schedules with production requirements
• Drive continuous improvement in planning processes, data accuracy, and cross-functional collaboration
  
  

• 5–8+ years of experience in supply chain planning, production planning, or operations—preferably in a manufacturing or hardware environment
• Proven track record of scaling planning processes from early-stage (R&D or prototyping) to full production
• Experience supporting new product introductions (NPIs) alongside ongoing production
• Familiarity with ERP and planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Kinaxis, Anaplan)
• Strong understanding of BOM structures, lead times, capacity planning, inventory management, and manufacturing workflows
• Experience managing international suppliers and coordinating global logistics
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, cross-functional environments with frequent changes
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across R&D, Product Management, Procurement, Logistics, and Quality teams
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable plans
• Experience in developing forecast models and conducting scenario planning to support strategic decisions
• Experience working with NetSuite is a plus
• Fluent in English (spoken and written)
• Independent, self-sufficient, and results-oriented
• Performs well under pressure and adapts quickly to changing priorities
• A collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills